The Music of East Tennessee has a rich history, and played a major role in the development of modern
country
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while ...
and
bluegrass music.
Bristol
Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...
, known as "the birthplace of country music", (and home of the
Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Birthplace of Country Music Museum is a museum celebrating the historic 1927 Bristol Sessions, which recorded some of the earliest country music in America when the Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers and several other musicians recorded for the f ...
), and
Johnson City, notable for the
Johnson City recording sessions, are both towns in the
Tri-Cities region of
East Tennessee. The music of East Tennessee is defined by country,
gospel
Gospel originally meant the Christian message (" the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words a ...
, and bluegrass artists, and has roots in
Appalachian folk music
Appalachian music is the music of the region of Appalachia in the Eastern United States. Traditional Appalachian music is derived from various influences, including the ballads, hymns and fiddle music of the British Isles (particularly Scotland), ...
.
History
Pioneers in the Great Smoky Mountains
Pioneer
Pioneer commonly refers to a settler who migrates to previously uninhabited or sparsely inhabited land.
In the United States pioneer commonly refers to an American pioneer, a person in American history who migrated west to join in settling and de ...
settlers of the
Great Smoky Mountains
The Great Smoky Mountains (, ''Equa Dutsusdu Dodalv'') are a mountain range rising along the Tennessee–North Carolina border in the southeastern United States. They are a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains, and form part of the Blue Ridge ...
created
old-time music
Old-time music is a genre of North American folk music. It developed along with various North American folk dances, such as square dancing, clogging, and buck dancing. It is played on acoustic instruments, generally centering on a combinati ...
ballads, before their relocation, by the creation of
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is an American national park in the southeastern United States, with parts in North Carolina and Tennessee. The park straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, w ...
. To help celebrate this heritage,
Townsend Townsend (pronounced tounʹ-zənd) or Townshend may refer to:
Places United States
*Camp Townsend, National Guard training base in Peekskill, New York
*Townsend, Delaware
*Townsend, Georgia
*Townsend, Massachusetts, a New England town
** Townsend ...
,
Gatlinburg,
Pigeon Forge
Pigeon Forge is a mountain resort city in Sevier County, Tennessee, in the southeastern United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 6,343. Situated just 5 miles (8 km) north of Great Smoky Mountains National Pa ...
, and other locations in the Great Smoky Mountains, host annual festivals, some of which feature folk and bluegrass music. The
Great Smoky Mountains Association
The purpose of Great Smoky Mountains Association (GSMA) is to help the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Through sales, labor, donations, and volunteer efforts, GSMA provides the National Park Service with additional tools for fulfilling its mi ...
also promotes events with mountain music, and has released several award-winning albums, including: ''Old-Time Smoky Mountain Music'', ''Old-Time Bluegrass from the Great Smoky Mountains'', ''On Top of Old Smoky'', and ''Big Bend Killing''. The
Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center, in Townsend, also helps to preserve this pioneer cultural history. In addition, the
Museum of Appalachia
The Museum of Appalachia, located in Norris, Tennessee, north of Knoxville, is a living history museum that interprets the pioneer and early 20th-century period of the Southern Appalachian region of the United States. Recently named an Affili ...
, in
Norris, hosts occasional folk music performances.
Mountain City Fiddlers Convention
In May 1925, the now-legendary Fiddlers' Convention was held in
Mountain City. Pioneering fiddler
G. B. Grayson won first prize for his rendering of the folk song, "
Cumberland Gap
The Cumberland Gap is a pass through the long ridge of the Cumberland Mountains, within the Appalachian Mountains, near the junction of the U.S. states of Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee. It is famous in American colonial history for its r ...
", besting rivals
Ambrose G. "Uncle Am" Stuart,
Charlie Bowman
Charles Thomas Bowman (July 30, 1889 – May 20, 1962) was an American old-time fiddle player and string band leader. He was a major influence on the distinctive fiddle sound that helped shape and develop early Country music in the 1920s and 19 ...
, and
Fiddlin' John Carson
"Fiddlin'" John Carson (March 23, 1868 – December 11, 1949) was an American old-time fiddler and singer who recorded what is widely considered to be the first country music song featuring vocals and lyrics.
Early life
Carson was born near M ...
.
Cumberland Gap
The song was named for
Cumberland Gap
The Cumberland Gap is a pass through the long ridge of the Cumberland Mountains, within the Appalachian Mountains, near the junction of the U.S. states of Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee. It is famous in American colonial history for its r ...
, a narrow pass through the
Cumberland Mountains
The Cumberland Mountains are a mountain range in the southeastern section of the Appalachian Mountains. They are located in western Virginia, southwestern West Virginia, the eastern edges of Kentucky, and eastern middle Tennessee, including the ...
, which was explored by
Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone (September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer and frontiersman whose exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. He became famous for his exploration and settlement of Kentucky, which was then beyond the we ...
in the 1770s, as he blazed the
Wilderness Road. In recognition of this heritage, the town of
Cumberland Gap, Tennessee
Cumberland Gap is a town in Claiborne County, Tennessee, United States. Its population was 494 at the 2010 census, and estimated to be 490 in 2019. The town is located below the Cumberland Gap, a historic mountain pass for which is the town's n ...
, hosts the monthly "Cumberland Mountain Music Show", with live gospel, bluegrass, and country music.
Laurel Bloomery festival
To commemorate the Mountain City Fiddlers' Convention, the nearby community of
Laurel Bloomery hosts the annual Old Time Fiddler's Convention. The event is held every summer, at the town's Old Mill Music Park. Area musicians travel to attend this festival, which features old-time folk and bluegrass music.
Bristol sessions
The Bristol recording sessions, held in 1927, have been called by some the "Big Bang" of modern country music. They helped launch the careers of
Jimmie Rodgers
James Charles Rodgers (September 8, 1897 – May 26, 1933) was an American singer-songwriter and musician who rose to popularity in the late 1920s. Widely regarded as "the Father of Country Music", he is best known for his distinctive rhythmi ...
and the
Carter Family
Carter Family was a traditional American folk music group that recorded between 1927 and 1956. Their music had a profound impact on bluegrass, country, Southern Gospel, pop and rock musicians as well as on the U.S. folk revival of the 1960s.
...
, among others. In 1998, the U.S. Congress
formally recognized Bristol as the "Birthplace of Country Music",
[
"Birthplace of Country Music", AmericasLibrary.gov, 2011, web:
]
AL
and the
Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Birthplace of Country Music Museum is a museum celebrating the historic 1927 Bristol Sessions, which recorded some of the earliest country music in America when the Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers and several other musicians recorded for the f ...
opened in 2014.
Johnson City sessions
Though less-known than the Bristol sessions, the Johnson City sessions, of 1928 and 1929, also played a significant role in helping to popularize country and bluegrass music. Some recordings from the Johnson City sessions influenced such later musicians as
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
and
Doc Watson
Arthel Lane "Doc" Watson (March 3, 1923 – May 29, 2012) was an American guitarist, songwriter, and singer of bluegrass, folk, country, blues, and gospel music. Watson won seven Grammy awards as well as a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. W ...
.
Knoxville sessions
In 1929 and 1930, a series of recording sessions was held in
Knoxville
Knoxville is a city in and the county seat of Knox County in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States census, Knoxville's population was 190,740, making it the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Division and the state' ...
. Some historians say that these, also, influenced early country music. The sessions are documented at the East Tennessee Historical Society's
East Tennessee History Center
The East Tennessee Historical Society (ETHS), headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, United States, is a non-profit organization dedicated to the study of East Tennessee history, the preservation of historically significant artifacts, and educating ...
, which is also located in Knoxville.
The Oak Ridge Boys
The Oak Ridge Boys, of
Oak Ridge, are one of the oldest and best-known musical acts from East Tennessee. Since the 1940s, they have sung country and
southern gospel music hits.
Dolly Parton and Dollywood
Dolly Parton, from
Sevierville
Sevierville ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Sevier County, Tennessee, located in eastern Tennessee. The population was 17,889 at the 2020 United States Census.
History
Native Americans of the Woodland period were among the first human ...
, is a country and gospel music legend. Her theme park,
Dollywood
Dollywood is a theme park jointly owned by entertainer Dolly Parton and Herschend Family Entertainment. It is located in the Knoxville metropolitan area in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, near the gateway to The Great Smoky Mountains. Hosting nearly ...
(located in nearby
Pigeon Forge
Pigeon Forge is a mountain resort city in Sevier County, Tennessee, in the southeastern United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 6,343. Situated just 5 miles (8 km) north of Great Smoky Mountains National Pa ...
), features live music performances, and is home to the
Southern Gospel Museum and Hall of Fame
The Southern Gospel Music Association (''SGMA'') is a non-profit corporation formed as an association of southern gospel music singers, songwriters, fans, and industry workers. Membership is acquired and maintained through payment of annual dues. ...
. Parton's
western
Western may refer to:
Places
*Western, Nebraska, a village in the US
*Western, New York, a town in the US
*Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
*Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
*Western world, countries that id ...
-themed
Dixie Stampede, a
dinner theater
Dinner theater (sometimes called dinner and a show) is a form of entertainment that combines a restaurant meal with a staged play or musical. "Dinner and a show" can also refer to a restaurant meal in combination with live concert music, where pat ...
restaurant (also in Pigeon Forge), has daily shows as well.
Country Tonite Theater
The Country Tonite Theater, in Pigeon Forge, has operated since 1996. Its award-winning shows have included performers such as
Loretta Lynn
Loretta Lynn (; April 14, 1932 – October 4, 2022) was an American country music singer and songwriter. In a career spanning six decades, Lynn released multiple gold albums. She had numerous hits such as "You Ain't Woman Enough (To Take My Ma ...
,
Brenda Lee
Brenda Mae Tarpley (born December 11, 1944), known professionally as Brenda Lee, is an American singer. Performing rockabilly, pop and country music, she had 47 US chart hits during the 1960s and is ranked fourth in that decade, surpassed onl ...
, and
The Bellamy Brothers
The Bellamy Brothers are an American pop and country music duo consisting of brothers David Milton Bellamy (born September 16, 1950) and Homer Howard Bellamy (born February 2, 1946), from Dade City, Florida. The duo had considerable musical succ ...
.
Songs inspired by East Tennessee
Places in East Tennessee have been the inspiration for many songs. Perhaps the most well-known is
Rocky Top
"Rocky Top" is an American country and bluegrass song written by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant in 1967 and first recorded by the Osborne Brothers later that same year. The song, which is a city dweller's lamentation over the loss of a simpler a ...
. Released by the
Osbourne Brothers in 1967, it is one of the ten state songs of Tennessee. Though often performed at
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football program (variously called "Tennessee", "Vols", "UT", or "Big Orange") represents the University of Tennessee (UT).
The Vols have played football for 130 seasons, starting in 1891; their combined record of 862â ...
games, it is not the official
fight song
A fight song is a rousing short song associated with a sports team. The term is most common in the United States and Canada. In Australia, Mexico, and New Zealand these songs are called the team anthem, team song, or games song. First associated ...
of the
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee (officially The University of Tennessee, Knoxville; or UT Knoxville; UTK; or UT) is a public land-grant research university in Knoxville, Tennessee. Founded in 1794, two years before Tennessee became the 16th state ...
(Down the Field). In addition,
Rocky Top, Tennessee
Rocky Top (formerly Coal Creek and Lake City) is a city in Anderson and Campbell counties in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Tennessee, northwest of Knoxville. The population was 1,781 at the 2010 census. Most of the community is in Anders ...
is now a town, northwest of Knoxville, which changed its name from Lake City in 2014.
Ronnie Milsap's 1980 song,
Smoky Mountain Rain
"Smoky Mountain Rain" is a song written by Kye Fleming and Dennis Morgan, and recorded by American country music singer Ronnie Milsap. It was released in September 1980 as the first and only single from his ''Greatest Hits'' compilation album. Th ...
, is also one of Tennessee's state songs. Dolly Parton's hit,
My Tennessee Mountain Home, served as the centerpiece of her 1973 album, ''
My Tennessee Mountain Home''. Parton also reminisced on her rural childhood in her 1984 song,
Tennessee Homesick Blues
"Tennessee Homesick Blues" is a song written and recorded by American entertainer Dolly Parton that was featured in the soundtrack of the 1984 movie ''Rhinestone.'' It was released in May 1984 as the lead single from the film's soundtrack, it toppe ...
.
East Tennessee Blues, written in 1926 by
Charlie Bowman
Charles Thomas Bowman (July 30, 1889 – May 20, 1962) was an American old-time fiddle player and string band leader. He was a major influence on the distinctive fiddle sound that helped shape and develop early Country music in the 1920s and 19 ...
, (from
Gray
Grey (more common in British English) or gray (more common in American English) is an intermediate color between black and white. It is a neutral or achromatic color, meaning literally that it is "without color", because it can be composed o ...
), continues to be a popular bluegrass song.
Please Come to Boston
"Please Come to Boston" is a song that was recorded and written by American singer-songwriter Dave Loggins. It was released in April 1974 as the first single from his album ''Apprentice (In a Musical Workshop)'' and was produced by Jerry Crutchf ...
, recorded and written in 1974 by
Dave Loggins
David Allen Loggins (born November 10, 1947) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician.
Musical career
Loggins is best known for his 1974 song composition "Please Come to Boston", which was a No. 5 popular music success (No. 1 Easy Listen ...
, has been covered by many artists, including
David Allan Coe
David Allan Coe (born September 6, 1939) is an American singer and songwriter. Coe took up music after spending much of his early life in reform schools and prisons, and first became notable for busking in Nashville. He initially played mostly i ...
and
Joan Baez
Joan Chandos Baez (; born January 9, 1941) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and activist. Her contemporary folk music often includes songs of protest and social justice. Baez has performed publicly for over 60 years, releasing more ...
. The song concludes with the line, "I'm the number one fan of the man from Tennessee." Loggins, born in Mountain City in 1947, is the second cousin of singer
Kenny Loggins
Kenneth Clark Loggins (born January 7, 1948) is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. His early songs were recorded with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in 1970, which led to seven albums recorded as Loggins and Messina from 1972 to 1977. His ...
.
Chattanooga Choo Choo
"Chattanooga Choo Choo" is a 1941 song written by Mack Gordon and composed by Harry Warren. It was originally recorded as a big band/swing tune by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra and featured in the 1941 movie '' Sun Valley Serenade''. It was ...
, originally published in 1941, tells the story of a train trip to
Chattanooga. In 1957, the British musician
Lonnie Donegan
Anthony James Donegan (29 April 1931 – 3 November 2002), known as Lonnie Donegan, was a British skiffle singer, songwriter and musician, referred to as the " King of Skiffle", who influenced 1960s British pop and rock musicians. Born in Scot ...
had a No. 1 UK hit with a
skiffle
Skiffle is a genre of folk music with influences from American folk music, blues, country, bluegrass, and jazz, generally performed with a mixture of manufactured and homemade or improvised instruments. Originating as a form in the United State ...
version of "Cumberland Gap".
In addition,
Dixieland Delight
"Dixieland Delight" is a 1983 song written by Ronnie Rogers, and recorded by American country music band Alabama. It was released in January 1983 as the lead-off single from their album '' The Closer You Get...'', which was released in March of the ...
, released by
Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = "Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County
, LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham
, area_total_km2 = 135,765 ...
in 1983, was inspired by a highway drive through
Rutledge, Tennessee
Rutledge is a city in and the county seat of Grainger County, Tennessee. The city is part of both the Knoxville metropolitan area and the Morristown metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 1,321.
History
Ru ...
.
Davy Crockett
The Ballad of Davy Crockett
"The Ballad of Davy Crockett" is a song with music by George Bruns and lyrics by Thomas W. Blackburn. It was introduced on ABC's television series ''Disneyland'', in the premiere episode of October 27, 1954. Fess Parker is shown performing the ...
helped to popularize the 1955 film ''
Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier
''Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier'' is a 1955 American Western film produced by Walt Disney Productions. It is an edited and recut compilation of the first three episodes of the ''Davy Crockett'' television miniseries. The episodes us ...
''. First recorded and introduced on the television series ''
Disneyland
Disneyland is a theme park in Anaheim, California. Opened in 1955, it was the first theme park opened by The Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney. Disney initially envision ...
'' in 1954, it has been covered by a number of artists, most notably
Tennessee Ernie Ford
Ernest Jennings Ford (February 13, 1919 – October 17, 1991), known professionally as Tennessee Ernie Ford, was an American singer and television host who enjoyed success in the country and western, pop, and gospel musical genres. Noted for h ...
. The song's lyrics say Crockett was "born on a mountaintop in Tennessee", but his actual birthplace was
Limestone, Tennessee
Limestone is an unincorporated community on the western border of Washington County and the eastern border of Greene County in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Tennessee. Its zip code is 37681. Limestone is part of the Johnson City M ...
, the home of
Davy Crockett Birthplace State Park. In addition to his renowned frontier exploits and military service, Crockett served East Tennessee as a state legislator and Congressman.
Daniel Boone
The folk hero Daniel Boone, who helped explore East Tennessee, was honored in the soundtrack for the television series
''Daniel Boone'', which ran from 1964 until 1970. The last of three versions of the theme song was sung by
The Imperials
The Imperials are an American Christian music group that has been active for over 55 years. Originating as a southern gospel quartet, the innovative group would become pioneers of contemporary Christian music in the 1960s. There have been many ...
, a Grammy-winning
Christian music
Christian music is music that has been written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life and faith. Common themes of Christian music include praise, worship, penitence, and lament, and its forms vary widely aroun ...
group.
Ruby Falls
Ruby Falls, a waterfall inside the
Lookout Mountain Caverns Lookout Mountain Caverns (Lookout Mountain Cave, or Lower Cave) is the second longest known cave in Hamilton County, Tennessee, Hamilton County, Tennessee. Its ''mapped'' length of 2.481 miles (3.993 kilometers) places it at 361st on the ''United St ...
, has inspired multiple songs.
Johnny Cash and
Roy Orbison wrote and recorded the song "See Ruby Falls", on Cash's 1970 album ''
Hello, I'm Johnny Cash''. Country artist
Ray Stevens
Harold Ray Ragsdale (born January 24, 1939), known professionally as Ray Stevens, is an American country and pop singer-songwriter and comedian, known for his Grammy-winning recordings " Everything Is Beautiful" and " Misty", as well as novel ...
also included a song named "Ruby Falls" on his 2011 album, ''
Bozos's Back Again''.
Kenny Chesney
Country superstar Kenny Chesney, (originally from
Luttrell), has described scenery from his East Tennessee youth in many of his songs, especially
I Go Back. Chesney also includes imagery from the area in songs such as
Back Where I Come From
"Back Where I Come From" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Mac McAnally. It was released in January 1990 as the first single from his album ''Simple Life''. The song reached number 14 on the '' Billboard'' Hot Count ...
,
performed at many of his concerts, and
The Boys of Fall, as well as "Touchdown, Tennessee", a limited-edition single, which was released in 1998.
Regional museums and heritage centers
East Tennessee has an impressive number of museums, which comprehensively document the region's contributions to country and bluegrass music:
*
Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Birthplace of Country Music Museum is a museum celebrating the historic 1927 Bristol Sessions, which recorded some of the earliest country music in America when the Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers and several other musicians recorded for the f ...
, in Bristol
*
Southern Gospel Museum and Hall of Fame
The Southern Gospel Music Association (''SGMA'') is a non-profit corporation formed as an association of southern gospel music singers, songwriters, fans, and industry workers. Membership is acquired and maintained through payment of annual dues. ...
, in Pigeon Forge
*
Mountain Music Museum, in Kingsport
*
Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center, in Townsend
*
Museum of Appalachia
The Museum of Appalachia, located in Norris, Tennessee, north of Knoxville, is a living history museum that interprets the pioneer and early 20th-century period of the Southern Appalachian region of the United States. Recently named an Affili ...
, in Norris
*
Museum of East Tennessee History
The East Tennessee Historical Society (ETHS), headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, United States, is a non-profit organization dedicated to the study of East Tennessee history, the preservation of historically significant artifacts, and educatin ...
, in Knoxville
Music festivals
The music of East Tennessee is celebrated throughout the region at annual festivals. The Museum of Appalachia hosts the
Tennessee Fall Homecoming each October. The four-day event has featured headliners such as
Doc Watson
Arthel Lane "Doc" Watson (March 3, 1923 – May 29, 2012) was an American guitarist, songwriter, and singer of bluegrass, folk, country, blues, and gospel music. Watson won seven Grammy awards as well as a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. W ...
,
Ralph Stanley
Ralph Edmund Stanley (February 25, 1927 – June 23, 2016) was an American bluegrass artist, known for his distinctive singing and banjo playing. Stanley began playing music in 1946, originally with his older brother Carter Stanley as part of ...
,
Mac Wiseman
Malcolm Bell Wiseman (May 23, 1925 – February 24, 2019) was an American bluegrass and country singer.
Early life
He was born on May 23, 1925, in Crimora, Virginia. He attended school in New Hope, Virginia, and graduated from high school the ...
,
Janette Carter
Janette Carter (July 2, 1923 – January 22, 2006), daughter of musicians A.P. and Sara Carter, was an American musician involved in the preservation of Appalachian music.
Carter was born on July 2, 1923, in Maces Spring, Virginia. She and her ...
, and
Rhonda Vincent
Rhonda Lea Vincent (born July 13, 1962) is an American bluegrass singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist.
Vincent's music career began when she was a child in her family's band The Sally Mountain Show, and it has spanned more than four de ...
. The
Kingsport "Fun Fest" is held each July, and has included
Charlie Daniels
Charles Edward Daniels (October 28, 1936 – July 6, 2020) was an American singer, musician, and songwriter. His music fused rock, country, blues and jazz, pioneering Southern rock. He was best known for his number-one country hit "The De ...
, as well as
The Newsboys
Newsboys (sometimes stylised as newsboys) are a Christian rock band founded in 1985 in Mooloolaba, Queensland, Australia, by Peter Furler and George Perdikis. Now based in Nashville, Tennessee, the band has released 17 studio albums, 6 of whi ...
, among others.
Heritage Days, a
street festival
A street fair celebrates the character of a neighborhood. As its name suggests, it is typically held on the main street of a neighborhood.
The principal component of street fairs are booths used to sell goods (particularly food) or convey informa ...
event, is hosted each October, in
Rogersville. The
Shady Valley Cranberry Festival, also in October, has live country, bluegrass and gospel entertainment.
East Tennessee State University Bluegrass,Old-Time, and Roots Music program
East Tennessee State University
East Tennessee State University (ETSU) is a public research university in Johnson City, Tennessee. Although it is part of the State University and Community College System of Tennessee, the university is governed by an institutional Board of Tr ...
, in Johnson City, is the only four-year university in the world with a comprehensive bluegrass music program. The program includes faculty members who have worked with major recording artists, such as Kenny Chesney (an ETSU alumnus).
Current stars
150px, Rodney Atkins, originally from Cumberland Gap
Artists from East Tennessee, such as Dolly Parton, Kenny Chesney,
Rodney Atkins
Rodney Allan Atkins (born March 28, 1969) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Signed to Curb Records in 1996, he charted his first single on the ''Billboard'' country chart in 1997, but did not release an album until 2003's '' ...
, and
Ashley Monroe
Ashley Lauren Monroe (born September 10, 1986) is an American country music singer-songwriter.
Monroe has released two solo singles, "Satisfied" and "I Don't Want To" (which featured Brooks & Dunn singer Ronnie Dunn), that reached the U.S. '' ...
, continue to help define the country music industry.
Greeneville is home to
The Band Perry
The Band Perry are an American band composed of siblings Kimberly Perry (lead vocals, guitar), Reid Perry (bass guitar, background vocals), and Neil Perry ( mandolin, bouzouki, background vocals). They signed to Republic Nashville in August ...
, also features occasional performances by the group.
See also
*
Christian country music
Christian country music (sometimes marketed as country gospel, gospel country, positive country or inspirational country) is music that is written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as (in terms of t ...
*''
The Ford Show
''The Ford Show'' (also known as ''The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford'' and ''The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show'') is an American variety program, starring singer and folk humorist Tennessee Ernie Ford, which aired on NBC on Thursday eveni ...
'', which ran on NBC from 1956 until 1961; hosted by
Tennessee Ernie Ford
Ernest Jennings Ford (February 13, 1919 – October 17, 1991), known professionally as Tennessee Ernie Ford, was an American singer and television host who enjoyed success in the country and western, pop, and gospel musical genres. Noted for h ...
(originally from Bristol)
*''
Christy'', a series of musicals,
*''
Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors'', a 2015 NBC television film; inspired by her 1971
song
A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetit ...
and
album
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records co ...
of the same name
*''
Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love'', a 2016 sequel film, which also appeared on NBC
*
Crooked Road, Virginia, a country and folk music
Heritage Trail, running across
Southwest Virginia
Southwest Virginia, often abbreviated as SWVA, is a mountainous region of Virginia in the westernmost part of the commonwealth. Located within the broader region of western Virginia, Southwest Virginia has been defined alternatively as all Virg ...
*
Blue Ridge Music Center, a museum and performance venue, on the
Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. The parkway, which is America's longest linear park, runs for through 29 Virginia and North Carolina counties, linking Shenan ...
near
Galax, Virginia
*
Music of West Virginia
References
External links
Great Smoky Mountains Association, helping preserve the musical heritage of the SmokiesSoutheast Tennessee Tourism Association's coverage of events featuring musicNortheast Tennessee Tourism Association's coverage of events featuring music"ChristyFest" on Facebook
{{Portalbar, United States
American country music
Appalachian culture in Tennessee
Appalachian music
East Tennessee
History of Tennessee
Music of Tennessee